What is Volume Scattering?
Volume scattering is a term used to describe the multiple scattering of a radar signal within a medium, such as the vegetation canopy of a corn field or forest, or in layers of very dry soil, sand, or ice. With volume scattering, a radar sensor may receive backscatter from both the target surface and the interior volume of the target. The physical properties of the medium (particularly its moisture content) and the radar configuration (wavelength, polarization, and incidence angle) will determine the degree to which volume scattering occurs, and is received by the sensor.
